Science Fair

This site is your source for information on the PEI Science Fair. With a little innovation, hard work, and good luck, you could represent PEI at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in May!

Guidelines to a Good Science Fair Project

 All students should also look at the Participants page for project requirements and helpful hints. 

Youth Science Canada has a great website (https://mystemspace.ca/start-a-project/resources/) that will be useful and includes forms needed if you are doing a project involving people or animals. 

For ethics questions, please contact the chair(s) or chief judge of the PEI Science Fair committee.

1. Type of project / level (Detailed Rubric for Scientific Thought)

  • Usually elementary projects are a level 1 or 2
  • Worth 45% of judge mark
2. Steps to a good project

3. Log Book

  • The logbook is like a diary of the work that you have done on your project from the beginning to the end.
  • Choose a logbook that has a hard cover and that is not too big. You also want a logbook where the pages are not removable so no binders please. Having ruled lines is also good because it makes writing easier.
  • The information in the logbook should be written in pen so that it does not fade and cannot be modified.
  • The logbook does not have to be neat (which is great news for many students) If the information is wrong or not what is wanted, it can simply be crossed out. Please do NOT tear out any pages.
  • Every time the students work on their projects, it should be indicated in the logbook. The date should also be recorded. Information can be written in point form, paragraphs, charts, etc.
  • All research, thoughts, observations, interviews, etc, should be recorded in the logbook
  • The ultimate benefit of the logbook is to help put together the project board. All details are written in the logbook so no straining to remember what was done. 
4. Backboard

  • Layout
  • Font size (suggested) - 48 for Titles, 24 for Information
  • Ensure that all graphs have titles and axes are labelled properly (with correct units that are graduated)
  • Add multiple pictures of the stages you completed for your project. Only pictures of yourself and your partner are permitted. All other pictures on the board can be of the material used, the tests when conducting the experiment, the experiment concluded, etc. 
  • This is a general guideline but try to keep the order the same as your report.
5. Judging Hints

Judging Criteria - Public Schools Branch Science Fair

Possible questions from judges:

  • Why did you choose to do this particular topic?
  • What is the most interesting thing you have learned from doing this project?
  • What was the hardest part of your project?
  • Did you have any challenges or things that went wrong while doing your project?
  • If you were to continue this project next year, what would you add?
  • What would you do differently if you redid this project?
  • What was the most important finding from your project?
  • Who could find your results helpful/useful?

** Be sure to explain all your charts and understand the units that are on each axis.
** Ensure that you understand the meaning of every word on your backboard.
** You should be able to identify (name) all pictures of materials/instruments, etc on your backboard.
** Put extra research/papers in a binder or duotang. You should also have a copy of the information that is on your backboard in this binder/duotang.
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